Distributed test system and method

Abstract

Provided is a distributed test system and method for electrical devices that features bifurcated testing and analysis of test results for electrical devices by aggregating test results from multiple testing systems to a centralized server where analysis of test data is undertaken. The system includes a plurality of testing systems, each of which is configured to operate test software to provide electrical stimuli to devices under test (DUTs) and obtain measured metrics indicative of actual operational characteristics (AOCs) of the DUTs. A decision support system (DSS) is selectively placed in data communication with the plurality of testing systems to receive the measured metrics from each of the plurality of testing systems. The DSS is configured to operate on software and compare desired metrics, indicative of desired operational characteristics (DOCs) of each of the DUTs, with the measured metrics and provide a plurality of operational characteristic determinations (OCDs).

1. A distributed test system for electrical devices, said system comprising:
 a plurality of testing systems, each of which is configured to operate software to provide electrical stimuli to a device under test (DUT) and obtain measured metrics indicative of actual operational characteristics (AOC) of said DUT; and 
 a decision support system (DSS) selectively placed in data communication with said plurality of testing systems to receive said measured metrics from said plurality of testing systems, said DSS being configured to operate on software and compare desired metrics indicative of desired operational characteristics (DOC) of each of said DUTs, wherein the DSS is operable to use said measured metrics to produce a plurality of operational characteristic determinations (OCDs), the DSS further configured to modify desired metrics associated with unacceptable OCDs to normalize measured metrics from different testing systems to compensate for environmental circumstances of the different testing systems. 
 
     
     
       2. The system as recited in  claim 1  wherein a sub-group of said plurality of testing systems is operable to generate additional measured metrics (AMMs), with said DSS being further configured to vary said desired metrics while the test systems of said sub-group generate said AMMs. 
     
     
       3. The system as recited in  claim 1  wherein said plurality of testing systems is operable to transmit to said DSS measured metrics in response to a particular event. 
     
     
       4. The system as recited in  claim 1  wherein said DSS is operable to transmit a request to said plurality of testing systems to provide measured metrics to said DSS in response to the occurrence of a particular event. 
     
     
       5. The system as recited in  claim 1  wherein said DSS is configured to transmit a signal to a sub-group of said plurality of testing systems to cause a physically perceivable stimuli proximate to the testing systems of said sub-group, with said signal being in response to comparing a first sub-portion of said OCDs with a second sub-portion of said OCDs. 
     
     
       6. The system as recited in  claim 1  wherein said DSS is operable to vary desired metrics for a subset of said plurality of operational characteristic determinations. 
     
     
       7. The system as recited in  claim 1  wherein said DSS is operable to vary desired metrics for a subset of said plurality of operational characteristic determinations based upon a comparison of the operational characteristic determinations of said subset with the remaining operational characteristic determinations of said plurality of operational characteristic determinations. 
     
     
       8. The system as recited in  claim 1  wherein said DSS is operable to vary desired metrics for a subset of said plurality of operational characteristic determinations while the testing systems generate additional measured metrics. 
     
     
       9. The system as recited in  claim 1  wherein said DSS is configured to vary desired metrics to define varied desired metrics (VDMs) when obtaining OCDs with respect to a subset of said measured metrics associated with the sub-group of said plurality of testing systems having known operational variations, with a difference between said desired metrics and said VDMs corresponding to said operational variations. 
     
     
       10. A distributed test method for electrical devices, said method comprising:
 receiving, at a decision support system (DSS), measured metrics of a plurality of devices under test (DUTs), wherein said measured metrics are indicative of actual operational characteristics (AOC) of said plurality of DUTs; 
 generating operational characteristic determinations (OCDs) for said plurality of DUTs by comparing desired metrics, wherein the OCDs are indicative of desired operational characteristics (DOC) of each of said plurality of DUTs and stored on said DSS, wherein said measured metrics are used to, 
 determine whether the OCDs are acceptable; and 
 modify desired metrics associated with the unacceptable OCDs, thereby normalizing measured metrics from different testing systems to compensate for environmental circumstances of the different testing systems. 
 
     
     
       11. The method as recited in  claim 10  wherein said measured metrics are generated by a plurality of testing systems, wherein said generating further includes producing said OCDs while said plurality of testing systems are generating additional measured metrics (AMMs). 
     
     
       12. The method as recited in  claim 10  wherein said measured metrics are generated by a plurality of testing systems, and wherein the modifying occurs while said plurality of testing systems are generating additional measured metrics (AMMs). 
     
     
       13. The method as recited in  claim 10  further including transmitting, from said DSS, a request to a plurality of testing systems to provide said measured metrics to said DSS in response to the occurrence of a particular event and sending, from said plurality of testing systems, said measured metrics to said DSS in response to the particular event. 
     
     
       14. The method as recited in  claim 10  further including transmitting a signal, from said DSS, to a sub-group of a plurality of testing systems to cause a physically perceivable stimuli proximate to the sub-group, with said signal being in response to comparing a first sub-portion of said OCDs with a second sub-portion of said OCDs. 
     
     
       15. The method as recited in  claim 10  wherein the modifying is based on a comparison of the OCDs of a subset of said plurality of OCDs with the remaining OCDs of said plurality of OCDs. 
     
     
       16. The method as recited in  claim 10  wherein the modifying includes defining varied desired metrics (VDMs) when obtaining OCDs with respect to a subset of said measured metrics associated with a sub-group of a plurality of testing systems having known operational variations, wherein said known operational variations are differences between said desired metrics and said VDMs. 
     
     
       17. A distributed test method for electrical devices, said method comprising:
 receiving, at a decision support system (DSS), measured metrics of a plurality of devices under test (DUTs), wherein said measured metrics are indicative of actual operational characteristics (AOC) of said plurality of DUTs; 
 generating, with a plurality of testing systems, operational characteristic determinations (OCDs) for said plurality of DUTs by comparing desired metrics, wherein the OCDs are indicative of desired operational characteristics (DOC) of said plurality of DUTs and stored on said DSS; and 
 producing a plurality of additional measured metrics (AMMs), while said DSS varies said desired metrics, said varied desired metrics associated with unacceptable OCDs, thereby normalizing measured metrics from different testing systems to compensate for environmental circumstances of the different testing systems. 
 
     
     
       18. The method as recited in  claim 17  further including transmitting, from said DSS, a request to said plurality of testing systems to provide said measured metrics to said DSS in response to the occurrence of a predetermined event and sending, from said plurality of testing systems, said measured metrics to said DSS in response to said predetermined event. 
     
     
       19. The method as recited in  claim 17  further including transmitting a signal, from said DSS, to a sub-group of said plurality of testing systems to cause a physically perceivable stimuli proximate to the testing systems of said sub-group, with said signal being in response to comparing a first sub-portion of said OCDs with a second sub-portion of said OCDs. 
     
     
       20. The method as recited in  claim 17  wherein producing further includes varying, with said DSS, desired metrics, defining varied desired metrics (VDMs), with a sub-group of said plurality of testing systems having known operational variations, a difference between said desired metrics and said VDMs corresponding to said operational variations.